My love for Willett has grown as I've tasted through many of their 4 year rye 'Family Estate' products , tried all the shelfers, and even picked a barrel of OG mash bourbon. Returning I find more barrel influence of dusty oak, breadcrumbs and hints of caramel.

I won't let these preconceived notions get in the way of a proper tasting though, so let's dive in on style bottle bearing a green label Nose: My first smell off this well rested glass is the prevalent barrel

identification: Mug & Jug store pick; Cask No IND-71; Date 01.20.21; NCF Mayor Pingree 5 Year Red Label Single Barrel Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: MGP Blend Proof: 123° Age: 13 years Further identification: Barrel popped corn shell or kernel - Most complex 13 Year Black Label Palate: - Dark spice - Wow so rich - Tastes a chew - Super thick plum, raisin and dark cherry - Biggest proof exposure 5 Year Red Label Single Barrel spice - Something oily - Younger oak - Copper metallic - Lovely vanilla late 5 Year Red Label Single Barrel

whiskey these days, but have been generally disappointed in most of the modern Pappy examples I've tasted I have gone as far as to blind taste Old Rip in a Weller flight and couldn't rightly discern which one aroma being produced, I decide to roll my glass on its side - a trick I've used quite frequently in tastings Palate:  My first taste lands like a fresh bedsheet falling into place with a wave of linen and some A little character and a lot of barrel seem to be the general influences.

proof than normally seen on Irish whiskeys and is nuanced by its extra finishing in American bourbon barrels There's a touch of dark funk and corn kernels that feels like a good bit of the bourbon barrel influence After a sip there is a bright linen note I definitely only typically get on bourbon barrels, particularly most notably on Wild Turkey and Heaven Hill barrels.

They dive into a little of their history on their website, saying: Along the north coast of Ireland, As for the whiskey inside this bottle, we'll just have to taste it to find out if it's any good. A second, lighter-power act begins to bubble up with creamy vanilla frosting, anjou pear, and slightly My third taste reminds me that this is, in fact, whiskey. I look forward to including it in this year's blind tasting of Irish whiskey to see how it fares against

High corn sweetness mixed with a touch of older musty oak perhaps from the bourbon barrel maturation. Altogether a great tasting experience, I'd love to see how a drop of water or ice cube can affect this

This same mash bill as some of those yellow label single barrels carried in 2021 is back again, but this time it carries an extra finish. 30 year old Hine XO cognac barrels were used to age this bourbon. Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is an exclusive HIRSCH release finished in 30-Year-Old Hine Cognac XO barrels at HIRSCH, this is a unique collaboration with one of the most prestigious Cognac distilleries. 54 barrels the batch number AHH0722; the back label states the French Cognac casks used are 30 year old Hine XO barrels

bourbon mash bill (either 21% or 36% rye) Proof: 139.4° Age: 16 years Further identification: This single barrel was distilled in Indiana, it comes from barrel J06-02 Nose: Holy hazmat nose batman!

Well, that's why we taste these things... So we'll call it the Summer 2022 release, when the first reviews started popping up on the West coast Digging further I find brown sugar, cinnamon walnut coffee cake, and plenty of barrel influence.

Going back in for another taste shows off lemon peel, peach preserve and passion fruit that comes across The only better rye from Wild Turkey in my book would be drinking it straight from the barrel with Bruce

It's fairly basic overall with those conventional aromas that normally come about with extended barrel It's about time for a taste before continuing on with the exploration. I confirmed this thought with a blind tasting as well.